


With A Little Help From My Friends

by bossbeth



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, F/F, Lena Luthor Doesn't Know Kara Danvers is Supergirl, an excuse for nia and kara to be dorks? PERHAPS, more nia and kara brotp if you please
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:49:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26330668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bossbeth/pseuds/bossbeth
Summary: Kara has a lot of feelings to process post-reveal, but thankfully, she doesn’t have to do it alone.
Relationships: Kara Danvers & Nia Nal, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 25
Kudos: 267





	With A Little Help From My Friends

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this fic for You Are My Hero, a supercorp zine and fundraiser in support of The Trevor Project, Transgender Law Center, and Futures Without Violence. Please consider supporting them and the marginalized people they work every day to protect.
> 
> This is more or less all I've written during the pandemic, honestly. It's hard for me to imagine much when the world is going through so much loss, so much friction, and a long overdue acknowledgement of the suffering of Black Americans.
> 
> I hope you're being gentle with yourself, and showing compassion to yourself and the world around you.

Kara had learned the hard way: stronger together.

She can’t imagine how she would have managed life in Midvale without Alex there. Even when she started her journey as Supergirl, the difference between a good day and a bad one was often having Winn and James to decompress with at the end of it.

That she could give that to someone else was part of what she loved about her friendship with Lena. She loved coaxing scraps of vulnerability from her — concerns about work, or dating, or her family — and being there to support her friend. Lena needed Kara Danvers, not Kara Zor-El. The thought made her feel warm inside. Kara hoped that her presence made the difference between a good day and a bad day, too.

Which is why lying to Lena felt so miserable. It was brutal, having someone become so important to you, and not having them know your full self. But it had happened, ever so slowly, their friendship blooming despite the lie between them. She couldn’t bring herself to risk breaking the most important bond she’d ever formed. Something about being close with Lena made Kara feel authentic in a way she never knew possible, despite the vital things left unsaid.

Fortunately, the weight of her lie to Lena was something she could share, too. Because now she had Nia. The connection they shared was different. Alex was always there for her — with all the doting exasperation of a big sister. Winn and James were amazing and sensitive and kind — and they were so very much so boys. It felt different to share her feelings with another woman, open and unconcealed. Kara’s comraderie with Nia had become vital so very, very quickly.

It helped now that Nia knew Kara’s secret, and also lived that super life. A sense of solidarity and shared perspective contributed to the uniqueness of their friendship. But beyond that, it came down to the person Nia was. Because Nia Nal was many things: a kind and compassionate friend; a supportive coworker; a fierce ally; and an incredibly sympathetic listener when drunk.

Kara was leaning on this last quality when her relationship with Lena changed forever.

“I just… messed up with Lena.” Kara rubbed her eyes. “I don’t know how to get back to where we were from this.”

“I don’t think you do ‘go back,’” said Nia, patting Kara on the shoulder. “I mean, would you even want to? It’s out in the open now. Isn’t that better?”

“I thought so.” Kara dragged her hand down her face. “Like, at first, she seemed… It was the reaction I hoped for. She seemed so happy.”

Nia gave Kara a small smile, her voice soft. “That sounds wonderful.”

“It was!” said Kara. “For a while, I was like… why didn’t I tell her from the start?”

“Well, I mean.” Nia rolled her eyes. “It’s not something you can just spring on someone. You gotta feel them out first, you know? Especially  _ her. _ ”

Kara laughed humorlessly. “That’s the problem. It turns out, she was angry.”

“Oh no!” Nia made a sad face as she drained her pint glass.

“Oh yeah. She thought I didn't say something because she's Lena Luthor." Kara refilled Nia's water as she watched her reach for the pitcher of beer. "Like, I didn’t trust her.”

Nia reached out and gripped Kara’s hand. “It’s a lot to trust anyone with. And I know you don’t like lump her in with them — but the Luthors are sort of, you know, literally the apex of white bread vanilla heternortmative patriarchal yadda yadda.” Nia clearly had briefly fallen in love with the sound of her own voice, and grinned at the words that tumbled out of her mouth. “They’re like the one percent of the one percent. Conservative royalty. Stalwart defenders of the status quo, and big ol’ haters of all things Other.”

Kara opened her mouth as if to object, but before she could speak, Nia rolled her eyes and added, “And okay, right, I know, she isn’t her family, and Lena is different — but has she _ever_ made her feelings totally clear on…” Suddenly aware that they were in a public place, Nia dropped her voice. “This _particular_ _aspect_ of your otherness?”

Kara laughed bitterly. “Well, her feelings are loud and clear now. She hates me.”

Nia gasped, three beers earnest. “She does not!”

“She does.” Kara stared at her Shirley Temple, wishing this bar stocked something less terrestrial. “She’s hurt. And of course she is! I kept it from her too long!”

“I can only imagine how it felt,” conceded Nia, grimacing. “Being the last to know.”

“Exactly!” Kara grabbed an aluminum ashtray from the center of the table and began to worry it with nervous fingers. “I think that’s what got to her, you know? It’s not just that I was hiding it from her… It’s that she was the only person close to me who didn’t know. I think she’s convinced it says something about her.”

Nia snorted. “Yeah, it  _ does _ say something about her. Mostly how totally oblivious she is. You’re not exactly subtle about it, Kara.”

“Maybe some part of me didn’t want to be subtle,” said Kara, laughing low under her own breath. Absently, she began to shred the ashtray into small squares. “Maybe some part of me wanted her to figure it out.”

“Well, you sure were acting like it.” Nia waved the now empty pitcher to the server with a grateful smile. “You get around Lena and you say some dumb garbage. It’s very cute.”

Kara stared at the scraps of metal littering the table, sheepish at her inattentive destruction. She balled them up quickly, pocketing it and masking the motion with a deep pull from her straw. “Well, how do I ‘dumb garbage’ my way out of her being mad at me? It’s Lena. I can’t just lose her.”

Nia leaned across the table on crossed arms. “You’re not going to lose her, Kara. What the two of you have? It’s not the sort of thing that falls apart with a little turbulence.”

Kara scowled at her, incredulous. “This isn’t a little turbulence — "

“Lena will pull her head out of her butt, because she’s going to miss you like crazy, and because she loves you.” Nia’s tone was equal parts pragmatic and affectionate. “And then you’ll both figure out what’s next.”

Kara exhaled, her bangs — and the ceiling fan above them — fluttering from the sudden gust. “Do you really think so?”

“Would it help…” Nia accepted a fresh pitcher of beer from the server with a smile. “...if I told you I maybe had a little dream about it?”

Kara sputtered her drink, eyes wide. “What? Really? You had a vision about Lena?”

“And you,” said Nia, smug. She waved behind Kara excitedly, and Kara turned to see Kelly and her sister walk through the door. “So don’t even worry about it.”

“Worry about what?” said Alex, pouring herself and Kelly a pint.

Nia gave Kelly a side hug as she sat down. “I’m just explaining to Kara she doesn’t need to worry about Lena.”

Kelly frowned. “Well, I’m worried about her too. So why don’t we need to worry?”

“I had a little… 'power nap.'” When no one laughed, Nia rolled her eyes. “And Lena seemed totally over it.”

“Seriously?” Kara looked near tears.

“Oh yeah. Like, her-tongue-down-your-throat over it.”

Alex spit-taked a fine mist of pilsner across the table. Kara shattered the glass in her hand. Kelly blinked rapidly, then rose from the table, saying, “I’m going to get a towel.”

Nia glanced at her friends, laughing. “I didn’t know y’all were so anti public displays of affection.”

Kara was beet red. “Wait, what? Her WHAT down my WHAT?”

Alex shook her head, wiping beer off her chin with her wrist. “What the hell are you two talking about?”

At the same time, Kara said, “I told Lena I’m Supergirl,” and Nia said, “Kara told Lena she’s in love with her.”

“What?” said Kara, and Nia, at each other, at the same time, with the same degree of disbelief.

“You hadn’t told her you’re Supergirl? She’s at the DEO! A lot! I just  _ assumed _ — "

“Love? Love?! I’m in, it’s not that I’m, I’m not — I mean it’s. I’m.  _ Love _ ?!”

“And when you’re not around each other, you’re always talking about each other. It’s always Lena Lena have you heard about Lena what about Lena — ”

“I don’t!! I never!! I talk about her a normal amount!”

Alex squinted and began to open her mouth, but Kara repeated in a too-loud voice, “A NORMAL AMOUNT.”

“Kara.” Nia tilted her head, in full intervention mode. “Have you ever flown across international borders to get any of us a pastry?”

“Don’t you dare.” Alex swiped Nia’s drink and began to drain it. “Leave me out of this.”

Kara gawped, flustered nearly beyond words. “Uh. Well. Not across a border, I guess, no, but — ”

“Have any of your other friends filled your office with flowers? Or, I don’t know, bought your entire place of employment as a favor? Does that smack of gals being pals to you?”

Kara’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. “Most of my friends can’t afford — ”

“I don’t want to tell you your business." Nia took a sip of her water pointedly, pinkie out for emphasis. "But your bestie who’s basically your wife should know you’re Supergirl. I can see why she’s cranky.”

Alex frowned into her now empty pint glass. “Don’t let her bully you, Kara.”

Kara’s brow furrowed. “No, you see... When I… When Lena… I mean, she, and I, are… Female friendship is…”

Alex scowled at Nia. “I think you broke her.”

“Don’t even blame all this on me.” Nia put a hand up and closed her eyes. “I calls it like I sees it, is all. I simply have eyes and observe the reality around me.” She tilted her head in concession. "And also I see the future of whatever, and in the future Kara and Lena are doing a mutual oral examination,  _ so _ ."

“All the times that she…” Kara stared without seeing, gripping and relaxing her hands over and over. “And the way she made me… The way I… And I....  _ Oh. _ ”

Alex shot Nia a look, then put a hand on Kara’s faintly trembling shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Kara swallowed, a dawning certainty crossing her face. “Never better, actually.”

“Do you want to — "

Kara stood up, eyes bright, smile broad and giddy. “I need to talk to Lena. Right now.”

“Okay, well — "

And Alex was talking to the empty space where Kara once stood, the only sign of her super-movement the door flung wide open into the street. 

Kelly returned with a rag and a glass of water, confused. “Is everything okay?”

“It will be after I drink…” Alex hefted the pitcher. “All of this.”

“I would like to point out that ‘power nap’ was very funny,” pouted Nia to no one in particular.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr as bossbeth, and twitter as heybossbeth!
> 
> Did I write this because I loved the idea of a showcase of the potential energy of these four characters, energy that perhaps the show should explore? MAYBE


End file.
